


Koa

by busaikko



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Dystopia, Ethics, Law Enforcement, M/M, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-17
Updated: 2011-01-17
Packaged: 2017-10-14 20:20:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/busaikko/pseuds/busaikko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>"Do you ever feel like it's us or them?" Danny asks.  "No, really.  You know what I'm saying?"</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Koa

**Author's Note:**

> The only way canon makes sense to me is as a dystopian AU to the real world; it scares me. YMMV.

"Do you ever feel like it's us or them?" Danny asks. "No, really. You know what I'm saying?"

Chin Ho shrugs. Danny tends to get this way after a few beers, on nights when there's nothing good on TV and the wind is in the wrong direction to catch the sound of the waves. For all Danny's content to let Steve imagine he understands New Jersey, Chin knows different. He knows Danny spent a lot of time on the Jersey shore and grew up a stone's throw from the Hackensack. Danny's oriented to the water, just like any Hawaiian.

Course, the creek Danny reminisces about playing in is a Superfund site now. Almost like a real-life metaphor or something.

"It's a war," Chin says finally.

Danny jabs a finger at him. "And when did we sign up to be soldiers, huh?" He shakes his head, as if they've already argued that point to a conclusion. "There are rules in war. There are _crimes_ in war. This is not. . . the world I want my kid growing up in. An eye for an eye, you know? The law of the jungle." He stops, probably setting his jaw against a flood of clichés. Danny in dad-mode is pretty much a cliché himself, like somewhere he has a pipe to smoke and a cardigan to slip into.

Chin Ho reaches over and tugs Danny's tie looser, until it unknots, and then pulls the short end until he's got it all wound in a coil around his hand. He doesn't know what to do with it, and Danny's watching him like he's slipped a few gears. Chin shrugs and tucks the tie into Danny's shirt pocket, like a jaunty handkerchief. "We're doing good," he says, because he believes that.

Danny's eyebrows go up and together in disbelief. "If we weren't turning the bad guys over to secret government alphabet-soup groups or the Governor, how many of our quote-unquote arrests would go to trial? We're not doing _right_." He gives Chin a level look. "It scares me how easy it was to get here. And how hard it'll be to leave."

"I don't think. . ." Chin leans forward, settles his elbows on his knees and clasps his hands together. "There can't be any turning back, once we're this far. This war is too big, and too secret. You and me, man, who'd do a McGarrett for us if we went missing?" He doesn't say _if Steve's the reason_ , but he knows Danny understands. Danny's sounded Steve out and reported back that he is probably cool with queers, in case someday they decide to come out; but there's no doubt that he would not be cool at all with traitors, and that's the line Danny's talking. "Some waves you have to ride until they bring you to shore."

Danny puts a hand to the small of Chin's back and rubs firm comforting circles, like he's promising that at least today and tomorrow he won't do anything stupid. Like he's acknowledging that he's a stranger in Chin Ho's home. "Ever sleep with a war criminal?" he says, his voice lighter and without dangerous undercurrents.

Finally. Chin grins and rolls the tension out of his shoulders. "Ask me in the morning." That earns him a rough poke in the shoulder. He leans back against Danny's arm and turns his head, and there's a kiss waiting for him. It's easy and feels good; he hopes, when everything inevitably comes crashing down, that this will also turn out to be right.

  
~*~  



End file.
